Science is all around us and underpins everything that we experience every day, from the clothes we wear to the food we eat and the music we enjoy.
When starting a discussion, you can encourage students to explore what interests them and then use this information to explain how science underpins their everyday lives. With this in mind you can plan a discussion around many different contemporary science issues.
Contemporary science is ‘alive’ science. Many exam boards now include contemporary science issues in their curricula and these topics can be the focus of a discussion. By using topical science stories in the news, you can show your students how science is a creative, constantly evolving subject.
Below is a list of important contemporary science issues that we feel would be good topics for discussion.
Chemistry
- Climate change
- Nanotechnology
- Recycling materials
- Drugs trials
Biology
- Cloning
- GM foods
- Neuroscience
- Superbugs
Physics
- Mobile phone radiation
- Robotics
- Renewable energy sources
- Space exploration